Development Academy Report
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DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY REPORT: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS OCTOBER 2017 CONTENTS Letter of Introduction from U.S. Soccer CEO, Dan Flynn 2-3 A Look Back: Transforming the Youth Landscape 4-5 The Development Academy Today 6-7 Making an Impact on the National Level 8-9 Kicking Off the Girls’ Development Academy 10-11 Supporting the Future: The Scholarship Program 12-13 Academy Events & National Engagement 14-15 About U.S. Soccer 16-17 1 TO OUR SOCCER • The Girls’ Development Academy has launched with all the benefits WE NEED CONTINUED COMMUNITY of a decade of lessons learned • The new High Performance Department will ensure our players experience the best and most innovative sports science in their elite Ten years ago, after extensive research and thousands training environments of collective work hours, U.S. Soccer launched a plan to • We are expanding our relationship with double pass to broaden the critical review of the Development Academy and its member Clubs revolutionize player development in the United States. SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE • A rapidly expanding network of technical staff, scouts and coaches In 2007, the Development Academy kicked off and will help identify the next generation of players and continue to support transformed the youth soccer landscape. our Clubs We have seen the program grow from 2,500 boys players to nearly 11,000, You are witness to an incredible time in our nation’s sporting history. Few things OUR GOAL OF representing the most talented players in America. With the introduction of the represent the evolution, professionalization and power of soccer in America Girls’ Development Academy in 2017-18, the total number of Academy players has more than the creation and rise of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. swelled to 17,000. I’m pleased to share this report, which highlights and celebrates We’ve expanded from two boys’ age groups to six. We’ve reached down to those achievements. impact younger players at this critical time in their development, forming a DEVELOPING U-12 program. Together, we’ve produced professionals and National Team players. More importantly, we have developed a standard for players and clubs in Dan Flynn the United States. Chief Executive Officer | U.S. Soccer WORLD-CLASS Most importantly, I want to say thank you. The Development Academy we see today is the product of remarkable hard work and dedication of so many people in the soccer community. Coaches, referees, administrators, parents, volunteers, donors and sponsors: your tremendous contributions make this possible everyday. We need that continued support to achieve our goal of developing world-class players. PLAYERS. As we look forward, we have the opportunity to do just that. 2 3 A LOOK BACK: OLD PLAYER PATHWAY LEAGUE 1. INCREASED TRAINING STATE CUP (USYS) REGIONALS (USYS) NATIONALS (USYS) TRANSFORMING THE More high-quality training sessions (three to four times per CLUB REGIONAL LEAGUE (USYS) week, depending on age groups) would accelerate SUPER Y-LEAGUE NATIONALS (SUPER-Y) player development. CLUB SOCCER NATIONALS (CLUB SOCCER) YOUTH LANDSCAPE PLAYER 2. FEWER TOTAL GAMES REGIONAL LEAGUE (US CLUB) ODP REGIONAL LEAGUE (SUPER-Y) Inverting the training-to-game ratio (from over 100 games NAT. TEAM (USSF) ODP REGION (USYS) The U.S. Soccer Development to 30 during the extended 10-month season), would allow for ODP STATE (USYS) Academy launched ten years ago more training time, increased touches on the ball, and healthy PLAYER (UNAFFILIATED) with a core set of founding principles rest and recovery for young players. designed to develop world-class 3. MORE MEANINGFUL GAMES USING INTERNATIONAL CURRENT PLAYER PATHWAY American soccer players. STANDARDS OF COMPETITION Challenging players against other elite teams – in PLAYER CLUB DA CLUB NATIONAL TEAM environments mirroring those on the international stage At the time, there was a range of disparate playing options, – would replace meaningless tournament trophies with tournaments and leagues for talented players. The new thoughtful strategy and long-term individual development. Development Academy in 2007 clarified the pathway to Youth National Teams and infused a player-centric mentality 4. MOVING AWAY FROM THE PAY-TO-PLAY MODEL – prioritizing individual development – into the everyday The U.S. Soccer Development Academy Scholarship Program training environment. would ensure talented players were on the field, and not held DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY MISSION: back by economic barriers. THE U.S. SOCCER DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY The Academy was born from a careful evaluation of the player development landscape in the United States, as well as a Ten years ago, 64 Clubs kicked off the inaugural season IMPACTS EVERYDAY CLUB ENVIRONMENTS TO comprehensive review of the best youth structures around based on these founding principles. Today, nearly 200 Clubs DEVELOP WORLD-CLASS PLAYERS. the world. This study laid the groundwork for the Academy’s reflect these core philosophies that embody the U.S. Soccer revolutionary founding philosophies. Development Academy. 4 5 MEETING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS In 2015, the Academy embarked on a review of individual clubs, led THE DEVELOPMENT CITIES WITH by the Belgium consultancy firm double pass. Clubs and U.S. Soccer are analyzing the results and working together to systematically ACADEMY TODAY ACADEMY MEMBERSHIP address the identified gaps to build better playing environments and achieve international standards to develop world-class players. Development Academy Clubs are located in major markets In 2007, U.S. Soccer established the with potential for player production Development Academy. Its success is rooted in its focus: individual player development and creating the most optimal, age-appropriate development environment. Clubs are expected to develop and implement their own Club philosophies with a holistic approach to development: respect, lifestyle and personal responsibility. PLAYER SAFETY AMONG OTHER REQUIREMENTS, TO BE A MEMBER OF THE DEVELOPMENT Recognize to Recover presented by Thorne is U.S. Soccer’s platform ACADEMY, A CLUB MUST: to promote safe play and reduce injuries for soccer players of all • Fully embrace the Development Academy mission and philosophy ages. The first-of-its-kind program was developed with the help of • Meet minimum training requirements (three to four training sessions per medical experts to provide coaches, players, parents and referees week, depending on age group) with information, guidance and additional educational materials. • Meet minimum standards for coaching certification 5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A WORLD-CLASS PLAYER More information can be found at recognizetorecover.org (B License or higher for coaches, A license for Directors) GAME UNDERSTANDING & OPTIMAL TECHNICAL BOYS CLUB • Provide financial support to players to begin removing pay-to-play barriers DECISION MAKING & PHYSICAL GIRLS CLUB BOTH FOCUSED RESPONSIBLE TAKES INITIATIVE BY THE NUMBERS GROWING THE ACADEMY INFLUENCE NEW UNIQUE TOTAL REGISTERED ACADEMY COACHES MONTH SEASON REGULAR SEASON AGE GROUPS INAUGURAL GIRLS’ 198 CLUBS 900 TEAMS 17,976 PLAYERS 1,003 WITH AN A OR B LICENSE 10 (SEPT. TO JULY) 25-30 GAMES PER TEAM BOYS: U-12, U-13, U-14, U-15, U-16/17, U-18/19 GIRLS: U-14, U-15, U-16/17, U-18/19 69 ACADEMY CLUBS 6 (2017-18) 7 We’ve added Technical Advisors, introduced elite performance indicators and sports The U.S. MNT starting MAKING AN science, established a new Talent Identification department, expanded game XI for the 2018 FIFA analysis and streaming programs, and are investing in new technology to manage World Cup Qualifier against Mexico at the depth of our talent pools. IMPACT ON THE Azteca included four Development Academy HIGH PERFORMANCE STRATEGY alumni: DeAndre Yedlin NATIONAL LEVEL U.S. Soccer has launched a new High Performance Department to lead strategy and (Crossfire FC Premier), initiatives that will enhance elite athletic performance and improve the development Christian Pulisic of younger players. This department will, among other things, focus on nutrition, (PA Classics), Today, we are seeing the tremendous wearable-technology and GPS tracking, biobanding, sleep education, game analysis Paul Arriola and more. (Arsenal FC), and impact and potential the Academy has Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas). on the international stage. TALENT IDENTIFICATION In 2017, U.S. Soccer restructured its talent identification process to improve As we continue to grow the Academy, U.S. Soccer is scouting at all levels. Today, a Talent ID Director and 21 Technical Advisors committed to creating the best every-day oversee more than 180 part-time scouts working across the country to environments for our talented players observe and report on thousands of Academy games ensuring a direct and clear player and other events. With the operational support pathway, and opportunities for players of a full administrative team, this network ACADEMY PRODUCTS BY THE NUMBERS to be seen and thrive. DeAndre is responsible for identifying and assessing Yedlin players (age 12-20) based on established criteria U.S. YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER (2017 YTD) and to expand and improve the player pool for SINCE 2015, U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM our Youth National Teams. every Men’s National 1,213 212 110 1,491 Team starting XI has 24 267 The group of TAs also executes U.S. included at least Total DA products DA products currently With an MLS MLS Games played DA players with Total Senior Team Caps 90% one Development Soccer Training Centers regularly in called in for YNT camps on an MLS roster appearance an MNT Cap (Leader: Yedlin, 46) Academy alum. their markets, selecting and inviting players to train and play together Of current YNT call-ups 35 under their direct guidance, for Total goals are DA products 83 97 +96k close monitoring and assessment. Goals Assists Minutes played 8 Christian Pulisic Jordan Morris 9 KICKING OFF THE ZAHRA LECHAK Northwest Division MARGUERITE GIRLS’ DEVELOPMENT FERRELL ACADEMY Northeast Division MEGAN MCCORMICK GIRLS’ ACADEMY LEADERSHIP Northern California AND TECHNICAL ADVISORS U.S.